Toy animals



K. CHONTOS Nov. 15, 1960 TOY ANIMALS Kazmer Chontos, 3512 Duquesne Ave., West Mitlln, Pa.

Filed `lune 16, 1959, Ser. No. 820,819v

3 Claims. (Cl. 2811-1482) The present invention relates to improvements in toys 1n the form of animals such as horses and, more specically, the invention relates to such a toy of the progressive type on which a person may ride.

Toys of this kind are known which, however, do not faithfully reproduce the animal movements and cannot therefore give a proper illusion of a walking or galloping or bucking animal. This is due to the fact that in the latter toys the propulsion is carried out by comparatively large wheels which are driven by pedals or by a motor or by other machinery, so that hitherto known toys of this type have more the appearance of a rwheeled vehicle than of a live animal.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which can be moved horizontally as well as up and down by the rider himself, causing the limbs of the toy animal to be alternatingly somewhat compressed and expanded, and all this being accomplished without a motor or any other machinery attached to, or contained within, the animal body.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which also can be used as a rocking horse or the like Without being mounted on a stationary base provided with springs or the like, or on rockers, but which has limbs supporting the body of the animal and that allow the rider to carry out a rocking action by shifting his weight from one part of the toy to the other or by bouncing and/or carrying out jogging motions.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which has only small rollers on the front limbs of the toy animal, and these rollers are concealed so that they hardly can be seen, while no rollers or wheels are provided on the rear limbs of the toy animal, and each limb of the toy animal is a separate element the lower portion of which is not connected to any other leg of the toy animal.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is simple in construction, of a pleasing outer appearance, easy and pleasant to operate, as well as sturdy, durable and well adapted for withstanding the rough usage to which devices of this type ordinarily are subjected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed fractional longitudinal sectional view through a front limb;

States Patent I? d Y 2,960,345 Patented Nov. 15, 1960 Fig. 3 is a fractional bottom plan view of the front limb of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fractional elevational View of a rear limb; and,

Fig. 5 is a fractional sectional view of the rear limbs on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing the numeral 1 denotes a toy animal body, the animal being a horse in the instance shown. The body 1 is made preferably of any suitable light weight non-breakable alloy metal or of plastic material or the like, which is painted preferably in baked-on realistic colors. A solid simulated rein 2 is secured to the head 3 of the animal and is looped at convenient position, so that a child riding on the toy animal can secure a firm hold. A saddle 4 secured to the back of the body 1 preferably is cushioned with foam rubber or the like, and is provided with a saddle horn 5 for affording to the rider an auxiliary holding facility. Solid stirrup rings 7 are suspended by means of straps 10 from each side of the saddle 4, so that the rider can place his feet into said stirrup rings 7 to complete his iirm hold and control.

The most important feature of the present invention is the provision of telescopic limb portions which are cushioned and made elastic by resilient means. Each one of the limbs which carry the body 1 has an upper portion or a thigh, which preferably is made as a unit with the body 1, and a cannon or leg portion which is a unit by itself, independently attached to, and detachable from, the said thigh portion of the body 1. In Figs. 2 and 3 one of the front limbs 11 is illustrated in detail. Each front limb 11 consists of a fore arm or thigh formed as a tubular member 12, which is attached to the body 1 or is formed as a unit therewith, and of a cannon or leg formed as a tubular member 15 which is telescopically shiftably extended into the member 11. Any suitable resilient means are interposed between the members 12 and 15. In the instance shown said resilient means comprise a spring 17, one end of which rests against a disk 20 which is pressed by the spring 17 against a shoulder portion 22 of the member 12, whereas the other end of the spring 17 rests against a second disk 23. The disk 23 has in its center a threaded hole, through which is screwed a threaded spindle portion 24 of a rod 25. At the lower end of the spindle portion 24 is provided at the rod 25 an increased collar portion 27, which rests against a third disk 30 that is held in place by a shoulder portion 31 of the member 15. An end portion 32 of the rod 24 is rotatably extended through a hole in the center of the disk 30, and has secured to it a wing handle member 33, which is non-rotatable relative to the rod 24. A roller 34 is rotatable on a bolt 35, Iwhich is extended through the horse-shoe-shaped, increased hollow lower end portion 37 of the member 15, and is secured thereto by means of a wing nut 40. The pressure of the spring 17 can be adjusted by inserting a pair of pliers or the like into the lower end portion 37, after removal therefrom of the roller 34 and the bolt 35, and turning the wing handle 33. The wing nut 40, which is screwed upon a threaded end portion 41 of the bolt 35, facilitates a removal of the bolt 35 and the roller 34. The rod 25 preferably extends slidably through a hole 38 in the disk 20 and has a collar member 42 secured to its upper end, for limiting the expansion of the spring 17.

The rear limbs 43 of the toy animal are substantially of the same construction as the front limbs 11, only they do not have any rollers or the like at their lower ends but they have instead attached to their lower extremities horse-shoe shaped or hoof-shaped members 44 of hard rubber or of any other suitable shock-absorbing, non-skid material. While the fore arm or thigh members 3 12 of the front limbs 11 are rigidly secured toor made as units with, the body 1, the tubular thigh members 45 are pivoted at 47 to outer rear thigh portions 50 and inner v`rear thigh portions 51 ofthe bodyA` 1-. Thus the limbs 43 can be angularly adjusted relative'tothe' body' 1, and after adjustment they can be retained intheirrespective angular positions by tightening wing nuts 53 on screws 54,` which are secured to the outer sides of the members 45 and are extended through slots 55 in the outerrear thigh portions 50 of. the body 1. In each member 45 there is a tubular member 57 telescopically slidable, and a rod 60 is extended through a head portion 61 of the member 4S` as well as through a spring 63 and through a disk 62, which is iirmly secured to thelower end of the member 57. The rod 60 also has athreaded spindle portion 64, which isv screwed through a threaded hole in a disk 67 that is slidable in the member 57. Above the disk 62there'is provided on the rod 60 an increased collar portion 70, and beneath the disk 62 there is securedto' therod 60 a wing handle member 71 for facilitating the turning of the rod 60 for the purpose of adjusting the pressure of the spring 63.

Although ordinary coil springs 17 and 63 have been shown in the present instance, it will be obvious that any other suitable resilient means such as, for instance, air cushion arrangements, or hydraulic cushioning means, could be used instead of springs.

The resilient means within the limbs 11 and 43 can be adjusted as referred to hereinbefore, and the angular position of the rear limbs also can be adjusted. These adjustments can be made according to the weight and the personal preferences of a person riding on the device. When a rider has seated himself in the saddle 4 and has put his feet into the stirrup rings 7, he grasps the rein 2 or the saddle horn 5 and commences a jogging motion, which will cause the resilient means in the limbs 11 and 43 to impart a bouncing and leaping action. By doing this, and'by leaning backward and/or forward the rider thus causes the device to proceed along the ground in any desired direction in a realtistic manner. Thereby the rollers 34 on the front limbs 11 will facilitate a moving of the device on the ground particularly while the rider is shifting his weight to the front of the device, so that the rear limbs 42 have to carry only a little weight and can slide, following the front limbs.

sires to stop'the movement of the device, thereby using only the safe brakingv action of the rear legs 43.

The angular adjustability of the rear limbs 43 allows the same to be extended rearwardly and downwardly from the body 1 rather than keeping them substantially vertical, so that the limbs 43 -will provide a forward impetus for the device from the' Spring action of the resilient means, and cause the device to move forward rather than only up and down.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and dilerent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing'from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

The rollers 34A also prevent a pitching forward of the rider when hede-y Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy animal comprising a body supported by limbs and adapted to carry a person seated on the body, a pair of front limbs having thigh portions extended from said body, a pair of rear limbs having thigh portions extended from said body, tubular members pivoted to the thigh portions of said rear; limbs, means for retaining said tubular mem-bers in angular positions relative to said body, a leg portion beingv slidable on each front thigh portion and each tubular member, and resilient means interposed between said leg portions and said front thigh portions as well as said tubular members.

2. A toy animal comprising a body supported by limbs and adapted to carry a person, front and rear thigh portions extended from said body, a pair of tubular members" pivoted to the rear thigh portions of said body, means for retaining said tubular members in angular positions relative to said body, leg portions being slidable on said front thigh portions as well as in said tubular members, rollers removably mounted on the lower ends of the leg portions which are slidable on said front thigh portions, resilient means interposed between said ,leg portions and said front thigh portions as well as said tubular members, and means for adjusting said resilient means being provided on said leg portions.

3. A' toy animal comprising a body constructed and arranged for carrying aperson and having tubular front thigh portions and outer rear thigh portions provided with slots aswell as inner rear thigh portions located between said outer rear thigh portions and in spaced relationfto' the same, hollow front leg members having lower portions of U-shaped cross-sectional formation and being slidable in the tubular front thigh portions of said body, tubular members pivoted to the rear thigh portions of saidbody, means' for retaining said tubular members in angular positions relative to said body being extended from said tubular members through the slots in the outer rear thigh portions of said body, hollow rear leg members having open lower portions and being slidable in said tubular members, resilient means interposed between said leg members and said tubular members as well as the front high portions of said body, means for adjusting said resilient means extended through said leg members being accessible from the lower ends of said leg members, rollers on the lower ends of said front leg members being removably mounted thereon for allowing access to said means for adjusting said resilient means after removal of the rollers, and U-shaped shock-absorbing non-skid members secured to the lower ends of said rear leg members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 818,826 AHitt Apr. 24, y1906 1,687,693V Pratt Oct. 16, 1928 `2,832,594 Kight et al. Apr. 29, 1958 2,884,247v Johns Apr. 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 833,772- Germany Mar. 13, 1952 206,679 Great Britain Nov. l5, 1923 

